It’s nearly impossible to talk to Max Holloway without hearing the Hawaiian say the word “blessed.” It’s his nickname, and it pretty much encapsulates the way he goes about living his life. After 12 straight wins and capturing the UFC featherweight title in 2017, it was hard to argue his way of thinking heading into 2018.
And then it all came to a crashing halt.
A rescheduled bout with Frankie Edgar was planned for March, but a leg injury a month beforehand forced Holloway to pull out of the fight. In April, he was named to replace Tony Ferguson to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight title in April, but with only six days to prepare, the New York State Athletic Commission doctors pulled him from the card.